1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates to a contact terminal arrangement for an electrical device such as a modular power amplifier.
2. Related Art.
As the demand for smaller electronic devices increases, so too does the demand for smaller and smaller electrical components used in these devices. One example of such components is power amplifiers that can be used, for instance, in mobile telephones. In one conventional arrangement, these power amplifiers comprise an integrated chip having width and length dimensions of approximately 8.3 millimeters (mm) and a thickness of approximately 2 mm. These power amplifiers normally comprise two conductive (e.g., silver) layers formed on opposite sides of a single piece of a dielectric material such as a ceramic material. Although the dimensions of these prior art power amplifiers are not large, device manufacturers have expressed interest in even smaller power amplifiers that would enable the design of smaller electronic devices. As is known in the art, reducing the size of electrical components can create design hurdles to overcome. In the power amplifier context, size reduction creates heat dissipation problems. In particular, the smaller the power amplifier, the more difficult it is to dissipate heat created by its operation. In addition, reduced size creates manufacturing difficulties. Specifically, the smaller the surface area of the amplifier the more difficult it is to form the electrical circuits that the amplifier comprises. In addition, size reduction creates assembly and connection problems for electronic device manufacturers who purchase the power amplifiers. In particular, the small size of power amplifiers can make it difficult for the manufacturers to make the various necessary electrical connections between the power amplifier and other components such as printed circuit boards (PCBs). Thus, a need exists for a modular power amplifier having reduced size that avoids these problems.
This invention provides a terminal arrangement for an electrical device that is adapted for electrical connection to another electrical component. The electrical device includes a ground terminal on its outer surface that has a relatively large surface area so as to form a heat sink suitable for dissipating heat generated by the electrical device. The electrical device further includes a plurality of contact terminals that are arranged around the periphery of the outer surface. Preferably, these terminals are generally equally-spaced from each other. Where the outer surface is rectangular, a terminal is normally located in each corner and one or more terminals are located along a side between the corners.
The electrical device can be, for instance, a power amplifier. In such an arrangement, the amplifier can be used to receive a radio frequency signal at a first side of the outer surface and output an amplified radio frequency signal from a second side of the outer surface. The power used to operate the amplifier is provided by power supply signals that typically enter at outer surface corners. A voltage reference signal is also supplied to the amplifier normally at another outer surface corner.